Read more about the Blue Water Runner
Have you already made a big journey by sail - or are you planning one, chances are that you have been on a deep dive into the world of downwind sails.
Elvstrøm Sails does offer a full lineup of downwind options for long-distance cruising, but we also feature a setup, which has been a very dependable part of our portfolio for years; the Blue Water Runner.
It has much to offer in terms of versatility on the long journey, effectively being more sails in one. It works great going dead downwind, it handles reaching beautifully. And even in light air going upwind, it can be used to fill in the gap before the jib takes over.
Choosing the BWR to go to the Caribbean
For Oliver Southgate, a life in sailing and cruising led him and his family to go on their adventure of a lifetime. A journey and an experience, which he also uses today, as he joined Elvstrøm Sails UK and VMG.
Preparations for the big journey began in 2022, as the Southgate family bought a Hanse 531 with the aim to sail from the UK, across the Atlantic and to the Caribbean.
Making the journey with three kids, two elements were at the top of the wishlist:
Simple handling and safety. And this led them to the BWR thanks to the handling, Oliver states:
- Being able to manage sheets, halyards, and reefing entirely from the cockpit was essential for us. With a newborn, a four-year-old, and ourselves sailing largely single-handed in shifts, simplicity and safety mattered above all else. Our 15-year-old really stepped up and was able to handle the boat confidently too. This focus on making the boat easy and safe to sail naturally led us to look for a trade-wind sail for our planned Caribbean crossing, he says and adds:
- We explored several options—adding a staysail, running twin headsails, and various furling downwind sails—but all required time on the foredeck to rig and strike when changing modes. That’s where the BWR stood out. It offered three clear modes: dead downwind, reaching, and even light-airs upwind (a real bonus alongside our self-tacking jib).
The big journey
The big journey took the Southgate Family from Burnham-on-Crouch in Essex through a series of UK coastal hops to Falmouth, from where they set off on the Atlantic crossing.
And it was already on the trip to Falmouth where the BWR started to shine:
- These legs were where we really learned what the BWR could do. As we worked our way around the East Coast sandbanks and along the Kent coast, we found the sail would almost set itself when transitioning from reaching to running. A quick tail on the lazy sheet was all that was needed to go fully dead downwind. To return safely to reaching mode, we partially furled the sail before releasing the new lazy sheet—again, all from the cockpit, with no one needing to go forward. One key detail: the sheets need to be at least 2.5 times the length of the boat.
And for the next legs of the trip, wind conditions were mixed. The first part down to Madeira led the family through +30 knots of wind and 4-metre swells, in which the BWR was partially furled, yet it made them maintain good progress at speeds of 8-10 knots.
The Atlantic, however, was a much calmer experience, Oliver Southgate adds:
- For the Atlantic crossing, we hoisted the BWR and enjoyed a very light-wind passage—the average wind speed was just 7 knots. We used the sail continuously, day and night. In a light swell we reefed to keep it clear of the spreaders.
A key point, as they learned it the hard way:
- We learned this lesson the hard way... One late reef resulted in a small tear, and we reefed again once apparent wind climbed above 20 knots. Throughout the crossing, the only reasons to leave the cockpit were to watch dolphins or visit the washing machine in the forecabin.
Set and forget
This also proved to Oliver Southgate how easy the sail is to adapt to the conditions. It also gave the Hanse 531 a very promising speed when going between the Caribbean islands, he ends:
- Once in the Caribbean, we frequently used the BWR in Code mode with a full mainsail, regularly seeing speeds of 12 knots or more between islands. This transformed island hops for us. The sail is powerful, and keeping it as a high-clewed, Yankee-style sail for reaching and upwind work means it can be used longer and across a wider range of angles—maximising value for money. Paired with the autopilot in wind mode, it truly becomes a “set and forget” sail offshore. As long as wind strength remains fairly consistent, you can relax and simply enjoy the sailing.
You can find more photos and videos on instagram @sy_aurora_of_london and @yachtie_dad.